26. International Business and Cross-cultural Communication
The increase in international business and in foreign investment has created a need for executives with knowledge of foreign languages and skills in cross-cultural communication. Americans, however, have not been well trained in either area and, consequently, have not enjoyed the same level of success in negotiation1 in an international arena2 as have their foreign counterparts.
Negotiating is the process of communicating back and forth3 for the purpose of reaching an agreement. It involves persuasion4 and compromise, but in order to participate in either one, the negotiators must understand the ways in which people are persuaded and how compromise is reached within the culture of the negotiation.
In many international business negotiations5 abroad, Americans are perceived as wealthy and impersonal6. It often appears to the foreign negotiator that the American represents a large multi-million-dollar corporation that can afford to pay the price without bargaining further. The American negotiator’s role becomes that of an impersonal purveyor7 of information and cash.
In studies of American negotiators abroad, several traits have been identified that may serve to confirm this stereotypical8 perception, while undermining the negotiator’s position. Two traits in particular that cause cross-cultural misunderstanding are directness and impatience9 on the part of the American negotiator. Furthermore, American negotiators often insist on realizing short-term goals. Foreign negotiators, on the other hand, may value the relationship established between negotiators and may be willing to invest time in it for long-term benefits. In order to solidify10 the relationship, they may opt11 for indirect interactions without regard for the time involved in getting to know the other negotiator.
國(guó)際商業(yè)和跨文化交流國(guó)際貿(mào)易和海外投資的增加產(chǎn)生了對(duì)具有外語(yǔ)知識(shí)和跨文化交流技巧的經(jīng)理的需求。
然而，美國(guó)人在這兩方面未得到良好的訓(xùn)練，因此沒(méi)有在國(guó)際談判中象他們的外國(guó)對(duì)手一樣成功。談判是為了達(dá)成協(xié)議而反復(fù)交流的過(guò)程。它包括說(shuō)服和妥協(xié)。
但是為了去進(jìn)行說(shuō)服和妥協(xié)，談判者必須懂得在談判的文化中怎樣說(shuō)服人和怎樣達(dá)成妥協(xié)。在國(guó)外的國(guó)際商務(wù)談判中，美國(guó)人被視為富有和不帶個(gè)人情感。
在外國(guó)談判者看來(lái)，似乎美國(guó)人代表著一個(gè)龐大的擁有數(shù)百萬(wàn)資財(cái)?shù)拇笃髽I(yè)，不用進(jìn)一步地討價(jià)還價(jià)就能出得起價(jià)錢(qián)。
美國(guó)談判者的角色變成了一個(gè)沒(méi)有個(gè)人感情的信息及現(xiàn)金的供應(yīng)者。對(duì)在國(guó)外的美
國(guó)談判者的研究中，我們找出了損害談判者能力的幾個(gè)特點(diǎn)，或許證實(shí)這個(gè)已成定式的看法。尤其引起跨文化誤解的兩個(gè)特點(diǎn)是美國(guó)談判者的直截了當(dāng)和缺乏耐心。
此外，美國(guó)談判者經(jīng)常堅(jiān)持實(shí)現(xiàn)短期目標(biāo)，而外國(guó)的談判者會(huì)珍視建立談判者之間的聯(lián)系并愿意為長(zhǎng)期利益投入時(shí)間。
為了鞏固這種聯(lián)系，他們會(huì)選擇非直接的交流而不計(jì)較投入用于了解對(duì)方的時(shí)間。明顯地，價(jià)值觀的不同和理解上的差異影響了談判的結(jié)果和談判者的成功與否。
美國(guó)人要在國(guó)際商務(wù)談判中扮演更為有效的角色，他們就必須投入更多的努力提高跨文化的理解力。
1 negotiation
n.談判，協(xié)商
參考例句：
They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.經(jīng)過(guò)一星期的談判，他們的食糖生意成交了。
The negotiation dragged on until July.談判一直拖到7月份。
2 arena
n.競(jìng)技場(chǎng)，運(yùn)動(dòng)場(chǎng)所；競(jìng)爭(zhēng)場(chǎng)所，舞臺(tái)
參考例句：
She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25歲進(jìn)入政界。
He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他沒(méi)有充分發(fā)揮其才能的場(chǎng)所。
3 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
參考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.風(fēng)吹得樹(shù)輕輕地來(lái)回?fù)u晃。
He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快連續(xù)發(fā)表了一系列的作品。
4 persuasion
n.勸說(shuō)；說(shuō)服；持有某種信仰的宗派
參考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.經(jīng)過(guò)多方勸說(shuō)，他才決定離開(kāi)。
After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.經(jīng)過(guò)多次勸說(shuō)后，她同意去了。
5 negotiations
協(xié)商( negotiation的名詞復(fù)數(shù) )； 談判； 完成（難事）； 通過(guò)
參考例句：
negotiations for a durable peace 為持久和平而進(jìn)行的談判
Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 談判未能達(dá)成任何妥協(xié)。
6 impersonal
adj.無(wú)個(gè)人感情的，與個(gè)人無(wú)關(guān)的，非人稱(chēng)的
參考例句：
Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子們也認(rèn)為他跟其他人很疏遠(yuǎn)，沒(méi)有人情味。
His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的態(tài)度似乎很生硬冷淡。
7 purveyor
n.承辦商，伙食承辦商
參考例句：
Silence, purveyor of gossip, do not spread that report. 快別那樣說(shuō)，新聞?dòng)浾唛w下，別散布那個(gè)消息。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
Teaching purpose: To comprehensively understand the role function and consciousness composition of a news purveyor. 教學(xué)目的：全面深入的理解新聞傳播者的角色功能和意識(shí)構(gòu)成。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
8 stereotypical
n.常規(guī)
參考例句：
Personas should be typical and believable, but not stereotypical. 人物角色應(yīng)該是典型和可信賴(lài)的，但不是一成不變的。 來(lái)自About Face 3交互設(shè)計(jì)精髓
Anything could be stereotypical, so I guess it could be criticism. 任何東西都可以變的老套，所以我猜那就是一種批評(píng)。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
9 impatience
n.不耐煩，急躁
參考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.進(jìn)展緩慢，他顯得不耐煩。
He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐煩地跺腳。
10 solidify
v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)團(tuán)結(jié)
參考例句：
Opinion on this question began to solidify.對(duì)這個(gè)問(wèn)題的意見(jiàn)開(kāi)始具體化了。
Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷凍會(huì)結(jié)冰。
11 opt
vi.選擇，決定做某事
參考例句：
They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他們選擇了延長(zhǎng)假期而不是增加工資。
Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各個(gè)學(xué)?？赡苡袡?quán)選擇退出地方教育局嗎？
The increase in international business and in foreign investment has created a need for executives with knowledge of foreign languages and skills in cross-cultural communication. Americans, however, have not been well trained in either area and, consequently, have not enjoyed the same level of success in negotiation1 in an international arena2 as have their foreign counterparts.
Negotiating is the process of communicating back and forth3 for the purpose of reaching an agreement. It involves persuasion4 and compromise, but in order to participate in either one, the negotiators must understand the ways in which people are persuaded and how compromise is reached within the culture of the negotiation.
In many international business negotiations5 abroad, Americans are perceived as wealthy and impersonal6. It often appears to the foreign negotiator that the American represents a large multi-million-dollar corporation that can afford to pay the price without bargaining further. The American negotiator’s role becomes that of an impersonal purveyor7 of information and cash.
In studies of American negotiators abroad, several traits have been identified that may serve to confirm this stereotypical8 perception, while undermining the negotiator’s position. Two traits in particular that cause cross-cultural misunderstanding are directness and impatience9 on the part of the American negotiator. Furthermore, American negotiators often insist on realizing short-term goals. Foreign negotiators, on the other hand, may value the relationship established between negotiators and may be willing to invest time in it for long-term benefits. In order to solidify10 the relationship, they may opt11 for indirect interactions without regard for the time involved in getting to know the other negotiator.
國(guó)際商業(yè)和跨文化交流國(guó)際貿(mào)易和海外投資的增加產(chǎn)生了對(duì)具有外語(yǔ)知識(shí)和跨文化交流技巧的經(jīng)理的需求。
然而，美國(guó)人在這兩方面未得到良好的訓(xùn)練，因此沒(méi)有在國(guó)際談判中象他們的外國(guó)對(duì)手一樣成功。談判是為了達(dá)成協(xié)議而反復(fù)交流的過(guò)程。它包括說(shuō)服和妥協(xié)。
但是為了去進(jìn)行說(shuō)服和妥協(xié)，談判者必須懂得在談判的文化中怎樣說(shuō)服人和怎樣達(dá)成妥協(xié)。在國(guó)外的國(guó)際商務(wù)談判中，美國(guó)人被視為富有和不帶個(gè)人情感。
在外國(guó)談判者看來(lái)，似乎美國(guó)人代表著一個(gè)龐大的擁有數(shù)百萬(wàn)資財(cái)?shù)拇笃髽I(yè)，不用進(jìn)一步地討價(jià)還價(jià)就能出得起價(jià)錢(qián)。
美國(guó)談判者的角色變成了一個(gè)沒(méi)有個(gè)人感情的信息及現(xiàn)金的供應(yīng)者。對(duì)在國(guó)外的美
國(guó)談判者的研究中，我們找出了損害談判者能力的幾個(gè)特點(diǎn)，或許證實(shí)這個(gè)已成定式的看法。尤其引起跨文化誤解的兩個(gè)特點(diǎn)是美國(guó)談判者的直截了當(dāng)和缺乏耐心。
此外，美國(guó)談判者經(jīng)常堅(jiān)持實(shí)現(xiàn)短期目標(biāo)，而外國(guó)的談判者會(huì)珍視建立談判者之間的聯(lián)系并愿意為長(zhǎng)期利益投入時(shí)間。
為了鞏固這種聯(lián)系，他們會(huì)選擇非直接的交流而不計(jì)較投入用于了解對(duì)方的時(shí)間。明顯地，價(jià)值觀的不同和理解上的差異影響了談判的結(jié)果和談判者的成功與否。
美國(guó)人要在國(guó)際商務(wù)談判中扮演更為有效的角色，他們就必須投入更多的努力提高跨文化的理解力。
1 negotiation
n.談判，協(xié)商
參考例句：
They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.經(jīng)過(guò)一星期的談判，他們的食糖生意成交了。
The negotiation dragged on until July.談判一直拖到7月份。
2 arena
n.競(jìng)技場(chǎng)，運(yùn)動(dòng)場(chǎng)所；競(jìng)爭(zhēng)場(chǎng)所，舞臺(tái)
參考例句：
She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25歲進(jìn)入政界。
He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他沒(méi)有充分發(fā)揮其才能的場(chǎng)所。
3 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
參考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.風(fēng)吹得樹(shù)輕輕地來(lái)回?fù)u晃。
He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快連續(xù)發(fā)表了一系列的作品。
4 persuasion
n.勸說(shuō)；說(shuō)服；持有某種信仰的宗派
參考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.經(jīng)過(guò)多方勸說(shuō)，他才決定離開(kāi)。
After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.經(jīng)過(guò)多次勸說(shuō)后，她同意去了。
5 negotiations
協(xié)商( negotiation的名詞復(fù)數(shù) )； 談判； 完成（難事）； 通過(guò)
參考例句：
negotiations for a durable peace 為持久和平而進(jìn)行的談判
Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 談判未能達(dá)成任何妥協(xié)。
6 impersonal
adj.無(wú)個(gè)人感情的，與個(gè)人無(wú)關(guān)的，非人稱(chēng)的
參考例句：
Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子們也認(rèn)為他跟其他人很疏遠(yuǎn)，沒(méi)有人情味。
His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的態(tài)度似乎很生硬冷淡。
7 purveyor
n.承辦商，伙食承辦商
參考例句：
Silence, purveyor of gossip, do not spread that report. 快別那樣說(shuō)，新聞?dòng)浾唛w下，別散布那個(gè)消息。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
Teaching purpose: To comprehensively understand the role function and consciousness composition of a news purveyor. 教學(xué)目的：全面深入的理解新聞傳播者的角色功能和意識(shí)構(gòu)成。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
8 stereotypical
n.常規(guī)
參考例句：
Personas should be typical and believable, but not stereotypical. 人物角色應(yīng)該是典型和可信賴(lài)的，但不是一成不變的。 來(lái)自About Face 3交互設(shè)計(jì)精髓
Anything could be stereotypical, so I guess it could be criticism. 任何東西都可以變的老套，所以我猜那就是一種批評(píng)。 來(lái)自互聯(lián)網(wǎng)
9 impatience
n.不耐煩，急躁
參考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.進(jìn)展緩慢，他顯得不耐煩。
He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐煩地跺腳。
10 solidify
v.(使)凝固，(使)固化，(使)團(tuán)結(jié)
參考例句：
Opinion on this question began to solidify.對(duì)這個(gè)問(wèn)題的意見(jiàn)開(kāi)始具體化了。
Water will solidify into ice if you freeze it.水冷凍會(huì)結(jié)冰。
11 opt
vi.選擇，決定做某事
參考例句：
They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他們選擇了延長(zhǎng)假期而不是增加工資。
Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各個(gè)學(xué)?？赡苡袡?quán)選擇退出地方教育局嗎？